203 new KY COVID-19 cases and 7 deaths. Rules issued for pools and gatherings of 50.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced 203 new cases of COVID-19 in Kentucky on Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases to at least 12,829 as the state issued guidelines for reopening public pools and gathering in groups as big as 50 people, which Kentuckians can do at the end of the month.
The governor also said seven more people with the virus have died, their ages ranging from 43 to 89. The statewide death toll is now at least 512.
“We have come so far, we have sacrificed so much, we have shown so much compassion for one another,” Beshear said in a press release. “Let’s continue to be good people, because that’s what’s going to defeat the coronavirus.”
The novel coronavirus continues to spread in congregate care settings. As of Tuesday, 154 nursing homes have had cases of the virus. At least 420 residents and 154 staff currently have COVID-19, and 1,530 residents, total, have been infected with the coronavirus and 324 have died.
At least 3,431 people have recovered from the virus, 383 are currently hospitalized and 63 are in intensive care. At least 325,065 tests have been administered in Kentucky.
Beshear’s office also provided guidance on what to expect when attending public pools and gathering in groups as large as 50 people, both of which will be allowed starting on June 29. People in large groups are encouraged to gather outside, stay six feet apart, wear a mask, avoid touching one’s eyes, nose or mouth, and not to share food, drinks, containers, utensils and any other personal items.
The state also asks that signs be posted whenever possible that “discourage handshakes, high-fives and other direct person-to-person contact during the gathering,” according to the guidance.
For all public pool and bathing facilities, to ensure swimmers can remain six-feet apart, facilities should divide the total water surface area by 36 square feet. That figure should be the maximum pool capacity, the state advises. A 2,000 square-foot pool, for example, would have a maximum capacity of 55 people at a time. That same calculation should be done for the whole facility to determine the maximum number of people allowed in at once. Deck chairs should also be placed six feet apart.
Pool guests are discouraged from standing in groups. No saunas or steam rooms are allowed, and facilities will need to be disinfected exhaustively. All staff, except for lifeguards, will need to wear masks when interacting with visitors.
This story was originally published June 16, 2020 at 5:13 PM.
